In just a few hours, Barack Obama and his family will leave the White House. I wrote this back in 2009 and re-read it today. It was a hopeful letter to my children - one in which I acknowledged that this would be a different America than what I had grown up in. And, in many ways, it was different.

In many ways, it was still the same.

But, as I try to stay positive today, at a time when this social and political climate has permeated through my work, home, public and private, and parenting life, I am choosing to continue to be inspired by the past eight years.

It has shown me that leadership matters.

As a practitioner who works in diversity, equity and inclusion, I know all too well that leadership matters. Both my own and of those around me.

As many of my colleagues who do this work have experienced, there are times when fighting for equity and inclusion is too much to bear. There are times when the actions -- or inactions -- of others around you impact the world you hope for yourself and others. There are times when you are asked to compromise your morality, to slow down your walk, and tread lightly.

But, justice work is not about treading lightly. Justice and equity work is about seeing the lives of those who are most marginalized and oppressed and not giving up until they, in their full humanity, can participate in whatever structures exist. Justice and equity and inclusion work is about taking steps, it's about taking action, and it's about honoring the dignity of others through real change.

There are days when the wall is too tall, too big, and too ominous. There are days when I feel like I have scaled the wall, only to see it get bigger and wider. There are days when I look at the builder squarely in the face and decide if I'm going to crawl back down or keep climbing.

Behind my desk, I have a giant framed poster of Audre Lorde. Her quote says, "When I dare to be powerful -- to use my strength in service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid."

My real decisions to step away from this work isn't based on fear, though. It's based on anger. Frustration. Disbelief in the purposes of pausing.

In acts of self-care, I tell myself, "That's enough. I'm not doing this work anymore."

In acts of self-righteousness, I tell myself, "I can do better than this. I'm going to go where the work is wanted."

In acts of self-preservation, I tell myself, "I can focus my energies on other things."

But, time and again, my moral compass keeps me due north. As far as I walk and stray off path, I'm called back to the road.

It is in those times when I know that diversity, equity, inclusion and justice work is not just a job for me. It's a purpose. It's my life's purpose.

Damn if I'll be swayed from it.

I'll hold this same calling that the Obama family and the Biden family had when they were faced with unbelievable adversity. They dusted off their shoes and showed back up to work.

If my parents can travel halfway across the world and make a life for themselves and their generations, I can keep pushing on.

If my in-laws can boldly preach the Word of God at a time when the world doesn't seem to be focused on love, I can keep faithful.

If examples around me can show up each day, I can continue to be an example.

We have a hard road ahead for us as we fight for equity, inclusion and justice.